The present invention relates to vehicles, particularly of the type which are self-loading and which are capable of transporting and discharging the load which the vehicle takes on.
Such a vehicle will have an elongated frame at one end of which is the propelling structure for providing the required traction and steering of the vehicle while at the other end there is the structure for receiving, carrying, and discharging the load.
Conventionally, in order to transport loads of any desired characteristics from one location to another it is required to have a wheeled loading vehicle forming a wheel loader and a separate transporting vehicle which receives the load from the wheel loader. One of the drawbacks encountered when using such a wheel loader is that the friction between the wheels of the loader and the surface engaged thereby exerts a significant influence on the pushing force of the loader and thereby on the extent to which its scoop can be filled. Thus, under certain operating conditions the wheels of the loader engage a slippery soft surface which detracts undesirably from the friction required for efficient operation of the loader. In addition, the wheels tend to sink into such a soft surface with an accompanying increase in the resistance to rolling of the wheels. A further drawback of such wheel loaders arises from difficulties encountered when working on sloping terrain and when encountering unfavorable weight distribution.
Also, when utilizing separate loaders and transporting conveyances, there is an unavoidable and costly standing time when a vehicle which is to transport a load must wait until it receives the load. Such expensive waiting time is particularly noticeable in the event that, for example, the loader breaks down while a vehicle waits its turn to be loaded. Under such conditions the operating or working cycles of several vehicles are undesirably interrupted.
Furthermore, wheel loaders of the above type can only operate when there is sufficient space for the loader to move around both with respect to the load as well as with respect to the vehicle which is to receive the load. As a result when operating in relatively confined spaces, such as in the interior of a tunnel, significant disadvantages are encountered with such conventional procedures and structures.